


You'll Miss Me

by SockLing



Series: They Were... [3]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Evie is Awful, Happy Ending, Jacob Feels Bad, M/M, More Evie Bashing, Ned Tears, just feels, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 15:53:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6085779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SockLing/pseuds/SockLing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evie is... ah, insert an expletive here.</p>
<p>Ned can't stand her and what she does to his Jacob.  And Jacob realizes just how badly he's needed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You'll Miss Me

**Author's Note:**

> Ned's vocabulary should really expand.
> 
> Basically, I just wanted a little bit of angst and drama. Plus, I honestly just hate Evie as a character so it's fun for me to make her the villain of Jacob's life, along with their father. Which I'm learning is not an opinion shared by many people. Regardless, Evie bashing ahoy!
> 
> **Edit: Please see notes at the end.

Evie was a bitch.

Ned startled when something sharp flared across his hand and looked down to see his nails had punctured the skin of his palm. He cursed under his breath and looked up to see Evie was still yelling at her brother, who was glaring at her from under that ridiculous top hat. There was something about a train robbery, which Ned loved when Jacob did those for him. Especially when Jacob actually went about it in a smart way, retrieved some schedules in a very questionable way, and gave Ned the heads up for where the train would be stopping.

If Ned decided to keep the trains afterwards, well… that was just a perk of knowing Jacob.

“And you blew the engine! Right next to a bank!”

“It wasn’t the plan, all right!? Some Blighters threw a dynamite box into the fire!”

During the fight, Ned had noticed something strange peeking over the top of Jacob’s up flipped collar. He narrowed his eyes, realizing it was something on the skin of his neck. With Evie yelling at Jacob and Jacob defending himself, Ned stood up and went over to suddenly pull down Jacob’s collar, causing the man to shut up immediately. Under the collar, the smaller man found quite the burn mark, spreading down his neck and across his shoulders. “You shielded someone, didn’t you?”

He saw Jacob’s jaw working, but his mouth remained shut and now Evie was glaring at Ned. She could fucking deal, Jacob was injured and Ned was incredibly pissed off with them both now. “Goddammit Jacob!” The man flinched; Ned using his given name was never a good thing. “It better have been a fucking child or I’m punching that damn burn!”

“Jacob wouldn’t do that, he doesn’t think.”

Ned’s fingers clamped down on Jacob’s shoulder as he pushed the man to the side, glaring at Evie. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Jacob trying to just stand and pull Ned back to his compartment. The small man wasn’t having any of that shit though. “Excuse me?”

“Jacob doesn’t think. He goes in with this explosive personality that ruins everything and runs out to leave everyone else to deal with his mistakes. I’ve had to clean up every single thing he’s done since we arrived. If he has a burn, it’s his own stupidity and not something so he-”

Evie was stopped when something hit her square in the nose.

Her hands flew up to her face, wide eyed, as Ned shook his hand. “Fuuuuck, is there some goddamned steel under your face!?” Blood was dripping down her face, so there was at least that bit of satisfaction. But Ned could tell bruises were going to form on his knuckles, and maybe a bit of his hand. He flexed his fingers, everything seemed to be in place. After his examination of his own hand, Ned looked at Evie and sneered. “You’re such a bitch. This is your fucking brother, the only family you both have left. He’s insufferable, I know, but damn. He cares more about the people than you ever have, than you ever fucking pretend to. So don’t you dare try to tell me he doesn’t think about them and help them.”

While Evie blinked at him dumbly, he grabbed Jacob’s arm and pulled him back to the furthest part of the train. The larger man didn’t protest, just followed him without a word. It was a bit strange to see Ned stand up for him like that, since he was often calling Jacob an idiot. That shit Evie said though, it was downright _unfair_. Jacob did stupid things all the time, Ned knew that better than anyone. But he didn’t know _anyone_ who cared about the residents of London quite like Jacob did.

Evie seemed to pretend that she cared, but she would rather chase after some mystical assassin shit than take a moment to take out the head of Templars to save the people. Jacob would rather give them that insane strangeness and deal with it later, as opposed to leaving the people to suffer. He was even all right dealing with someone like Ned, and his violent personality and strange demands. Jacob was crude and spoke his mind, but he genuinely seemed to care about the people left to suffer but those who never needed for anything.

And Ned would never say it out loud, but he cared about Jacob and his recklessly stupid personality.

He all but threw Jacob into the last compartment, forcing everyone out so he could close the door and rig a lock. Evie could just fuck off for now, and he sincerely hoped Henry would keep her away for awhile. He didn’t seem to be against Jacob like Evie was, so maybe he would see how stupid all this was. Ned rolled his shoulders and took off his jacket, the compartment a little warm, but that day was particularly rough for him emotionally so the shirt and waistcoat remained on. He needed the padding.

Afterwards, he looked over to Jacob, who was sitting on the loveseat and bent over, face hidden by his hands. Ned really wanted to punch Evie in the face again.

With a sigh, he went over to Jacob and pulled the hat from his hat, which did get the man to look up at him. “Let me see your fucking burn.” For some reason, Jacob looked a little let down, and Ned realized he might have been waiting on Ned to say something inspirational or heartwarming or whatever. He would get to that. For now, he watched Jacob shrug off his jacket, then the subsequent layers of shirts. Ned gestured for him to turn around, pleased when he didn’t protest and just showed his bare back to Ned.

Luckily, the burn didn’t go past the nape his neck and shoulders. It didn’t seem to be blistering yet either, so it wasn’t a horrible burn. Regardless, he dug around in the medical supplies hidden under the seat and found the poultice he actually liked to use. “Stay still.” He sat behind Jacob, who amazingly didn’t say a word about any of this, and tried not to be too rough when applying the poultice. He didn’t think Jacob needed any more pain right now.

“... Ned?”

“What, Frye?”

There was silence for a moment, and Ned thought maybe Jacob was just trying to reaffirm Ned was there with him. Then he spoke again. “You really think I care more about people than my sister?” Ned snorted, because how could anyone think otherwise? Evie may have plastered on strangely constipated looking smiles and spoke politely to most of them, but Jacob was genuine. He didn’t sugarcoat anything, didn’t try to placate them with something he couldn’t do. But he helped in every way he knew he could, rescued children from slave labor and freed homes from the grip of the Blighters. The Rooks may have been another gang, but Jacob had incredibly strict rules in place to keep the people from being subjugated once more.

He supposed Jacob was waiting on a response though. “Yes, I honestly believe you do. I hate your sister, but you’re just a better fucking person anyway.” Jacob didn’t say anything after that, just let Ned put the soothing poultice on his shoulders and neck. It was strangely quiet in the compartment, something the smaller man wasn’t used to when Jacob was around.

Ned finished rubbing on the thick salve and put it back, leaving Jacob just sitting there.

“I love you, Ned.”

Ned stumbled some as he stood back up from kneeling. Yes, Jacob had said those words before, and Ned remembered he said them to Jacob when he was drunk. The tone though, it was so different from normal. Something about it sounded almost defeated and the smaller man narrowed his eyes. “Frye, what the fuck are you planning?” Jacob turned to give him a surprised look and Ned rolled his eyes. “I know you by this point, and I know that damn tone. What. The fuck. Are you planning?”

Jacob turned away, unable to look Ned in the eyes and something clicked. “Oh hell no! Don’t you fucking dare just leave!”

“But I should, Ned. Evie’s right; I don’t think about what I do. I just… do it. And people get hurt because of it, and Evie just gets frustrated. It would be better if Evie and Henry just watched over London while I moved on.”

Something strange was happening to Ned. His throat felt tight, like he was trying to swallow a ball, and his eyes were burning. Automatically, he started to clench his teeth, his cheek and jaw already aching from the pressure. But Jacob just pressed on. “So I think I’ll just leave in the middle of the night, so Evie can’t say anything or find out where I’m going.”

“Where the fuck are you going!?”

Jacob still wasn’t looking at him and it stung, strangely. He was chewing the inside of his lip now, waiting for the assassin to find some way to justify this. “Somewhere that needs help, like I always do.” Oh, of fucking course, Ned wasn’t allowed to know either. “I really just think it’s the best thing to do, Ned.”

“Fuck you.”

Maybe it was how quiet Ned was, or maybe it was the fact something hot and wet was making a trail down his face, but Jacob’s eyes widened and he started to stand, mouth open. “No, don’t say shit!” Jacob’s mouth closed then as he fell back to the seat, hands intertwined and knuckles turning white. “You’re letting your sister run you out! That bitch who can’t understand that not everyone is a goddamned vessel of their horrid parents! You’re a good fucking man and she can’t change that! But you can. You can be the one who ruins everything I think about you now and ever will. Now I’m getting off this goddamned train, I’m going home, and I’ll be making my decision about you when I wake up.”

Jacob tried to say something, but the train was slowing down for a station so Ned just jumped off the back and took off to get through the station and to a carriage. He found one manned by a driver and gave him the address, along with more than enough money to get him there. He curled up in the back, angrily wiping his eyes. After he calmed down, he realized he had been crying. That _bastard_ made him cry. And all because his sister was a horrible sibling.

The carriage stopped in front of his home and he climbed out, happy the driver merely tipped his hat at him without a word and drove on. Ned went inside and made sure to lock every single door and window. If Jacob decided to come by, he was going to work for that shit. Ned belatedly realized he had left his suit jacket on the train, but just gave up and fell onto his bed, toeing off his shoes without sitting up.

If Jacob honestly did leave, Ned just gave up.

He would still run his empire, keep his workers fed and housed, but everything else was dead. Fuck Jacob and making him think he could have some kind of relationship with someone. Ned pulled a pillow over his head, a headache already starting to develop from his first crying session since he was a small child. Just fuck Jacob.

It took a few hours, but since Jacob still hadn’t showed up, Ned fell asleep to nightmares.

 

Ned startled awake from the middle of another nightmare, staring at his ceiling until his heart rate calmed down. And the first thing he noticed was the light streaming through the window. He clenched his teeth and went to turn onto his side, but was stopped by something in his way. Ned furrowed his brows then leant back to get a look at the wall suddenly in the middle of his bed.

He was greeted with the sight of Jacob’s sleeping face, which strangely bore a new bruise.

Ned hadn’t punched him yesterday, despite how badly he wanted to. Not even one of the “love punches” to an arm. But after a moment, Ned realized Jacob was sleeping in his bed, and it was morning. Did… did that mean he was choosing to stay? Ned desperately wanted to burrow into him and just cling, but he was scared this was just Jacob spending one last morning with Ned before he ran off. That thought made his eyes burn again, but instead of letting anything fall from his eyes, he started to sit up. But then there was a thick around around his stomach and pulling him close.

“Dammit Ned, just sleep in for once.”

What the hell?

“Frye, let me go.”

Instead of listening, Jacob just pulled him closer and wrapped around him, entangling their legs so Ned couldn’t get away if he wanted to. Which honestly, he didn’t. Jacob was warm and he just wanted the assassin to stay. Forever. He chewed on his lip and opened his mouth, but Jacob beat him to it. “I talked with Greenie for awhile after you left. He wasn’t angry about Evie being punched, said he didn’t blame you. But he also said she was wrong too. Greenie said first off, he was taking my sister to India with him in a couple of months. But more than that, he knows I care about the people here so much.

“They’re like… my kids, I guess. I just want to keep them from being beat on by the people who think they’re above them. And then he told me I can’t leave. I’m not allowed to. Which is when he punched me.” Henry punched Jacob? Holy shit. “He said if I left now, you’d be the one who suffered the most. I’d be destroying everything good I’ve done to help you, and anything we could have had if I came back. And that’s what I really can’t handle.”

Jacob snuggled him then, nuzzling his face and keeping him in a grip that would be impossible to break out of. “... so the pacifist Indian man had to be the one to make you stay with me?”

“Wait, what, no! He just reminded me that you’re the only important thing, the number one reason I should stay. Evie does that to me sometimes, makes me feel so bad that I forget there are great things too, things that trump all the awful she thinks I am. And you did break her nose to defend my honor.”

Something about that way Jacob said that made Ned’s eyelid twitch. “You enjoy this way too damn much.”

Jacob grinned and peppered Ned’s face with kisses, making the smaller man squirm and try to push his face away. Kisses were one thing, but this was straight up torture. “Dammit Frye, stop this shit!” That did absolutely nothing to deter Jacob from his quest to cover Ned’s face in saliva. Again. Ned changed tactics and held Jacob’s head to pull him into a kiss, nipping at his lip when the man went too long without reacting.

Apparently this led to Jacob flipping over so Ned was laying on top of him, pressing kisses down his jaw. Well, Ned supposed it was all right to allow this sort of kissing, since the saliva was kept to a minimum.

Then Jacob dragged his tongue from his collarbone to his ear and Ned shouted before rolling off the man and throwing a pillow over his laughing fucking face.

They were _amazingly **domestic.**_

But if that kept Jacob around, Ned could live with it.

**Author's Note:**

> I have received comments for this particular chapter in the series already that are basically the same thing. I'm sorry for anyone who disagrees, but this is fan fiction, a fiction based upon the whims of the fan. I have taken creative freedoms to write the characters as I see them. I have tried my best to include little warnings, if you will, that the characters are how I have written them, including warning that Evie will be bashed. I honestly hate the character for some very personal reasons, and I am going to write her how I have seen her the entire game.
> 
> So please, send me your constructive criticism if I have screwed up a historical fact, or twisted any lore too much, or I've seriously messed up some grammar or spelling or slang. Those are honest mistakes (plus I have no beta). But I have written the characters the way I see them, and I will continue to do so.
> 
> For those who have enjoyed the series thus far, thank you for your support, and I already have another chapter in the works. Wye is simply too easy to write and it makes me happy~ :kisses


End file.
